'Margaret Thatcher would be voted Prime Minister if a general election was called today', claims poll

BY DUNCAN ROBERTSON

Last updated at 08:53 07 April 2008

Margaret Thatcher at the peak of her powers would be voted into Number 10 again if a general election was called today, an opinion poll has found.

The YouGov survey confirms the rich legacy of the country's first woman prime minister 18 years after she left office.

Those questioned also voted Baroness Thatcher as Britain's greatest post-war leader, comfortably beating her modern Labour rivals and even Winston Churchill's post-war administration.

Asked to pick a leader at the height of their powers to be Prime Minister, 27 per cent chose Lady Thatcher.

Tony Blair attracted 20 per cent of the vote, while David Cameron received eight per cent. Trailing at the bottom of a field which also included Tony Benn (13 per cent) and Kenneth Clarke (6 per cent) was Gordon Brown on only 5 per cent.

Scroll down for more...

Almost two thirds of Tory voters also said they would prefer Lady Thatcher to the current party leader.

The poll, of 2,062 people, demonstrates the difficulty the Conservatives have in faced emerging from Baroness Thatcher's shadow since her departure.

Asked which of the current crop of Conservative politicians is her natural successor, Tory supporters plumped for William Hague (23 per cent) and Mr Cameron (25 per cent).

However, more than a third of those questioned (36 per cent) think none of the current crop of Tories will be able to fill her shoes.

From 1979 to 1990, Lady Thatcher's administrations transformed post-war Britain. High on a her list of achievements were curbing the powers of the trades unions, winning the Falklands War and fighting Britain's corner in Europe.

Scroll down for more...

But most people think her greatest triumph was becoming the UK's first - and to date - only female Prime Minister.

However, many were critical of some of her other decision-making. According to 45 per cent of those questioned, her greatest failure was her introduction of the Poll Tax in 1990.

It led to mass rioting and speeded up her departure from office.

Lady Thatcher, 82, has been voted UK's greatest leader despite being portrayed as a controversial and divisive figure across many parts of the country.

Many questioned in the survey blamed her for failing to tackle mass unemployment in the mid-eighties and the restructuring of Britain's industries.

Nearly one third of all voters (32 per cent) felt that she had presided over an era of 'greed' and undermined a sense of public service.

But one in 10 Labour voters (11 per cent), for whom she is a traditional hate figure, acknowledge her greatness.

Although Baroness Thatcher's political legacy is undimmed, she gave her supporters a scare last month after being admitted to hospital for precautionary tests after 'feeling unwell'.

Lady Thatcher, who has been admitted to hospital a number of times in recent years, has made several appearances at Conservative Party events and official functions over the last year.

But she was advised by doctors six years ago to give up public speaking after suffering a stroke.

In December 2005, two days after David Cameron became the Conservative leader, Lady Thatcher was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a patient in its coronary care unit for tests after becoming unwell at her hairdresser's.

She was later released and given the all clear.

Those who have seen the former premier recently said she has been in 'robust form' and could still 'work the room'.